Everybody has chimed in about Angelina Jolie’s double mastectomy at this point, and from a celebrity perspective, it’s been all-positive, although I’m waiting to see how the tabloids and/or Chelsea Handler spin this. Brad Pitt issued a statement hours after Angelina’s NYT op-ed came out, and most celebrities have tweeted well-wishes and positive thoughts to Jolie. And now Brad’s mom Jane has issued a statement! James Haven too.

After she revealed she underwent a preventative double mastectomy, Angelina Jolie’s family members are voicing their support.

“We’re so very proud of Angie, this means so much to our family especially our grandchildren. We love her dearly,” Brad Pitt’s mother, Jane Pitt, says in a statement.

Jolie’s brother, James Haven, also spoke out about her decision to undergo the procedure.

“My sister like our mother always put her children first,” he says in a statement. “I am so grateful to be her brother.”

In a New York Times op-ed piece, Jolie describes her difficult choice to have surgery after genetic tests showed her to have a high risk of developing the disease. Her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, died of ovarian cancer at 56 in 2007.

Jolie, 37, also expressed how much she leaned on Pitt, 49, whom she described as “loving and supportive,” and there for her “for every minute of the surgeries.”

Pitt released a statement of his own on Tuesday, saying, “Having witnessed this decision firsthand, I find Angie’s choice, as well as many others like her, absolutely heroic. I thank our medical team for their care and focus.”

See? Despite Jane Pitt’s super-conservative politics, she and Angelina still get along really well. Angie and Jane have spent a lot of time together over the years, with Brad’s parents coming out to support Angelina’s films, and Jane in particular coming out for some lovely happy-family photo-ops. There really isn’t any drama (or at least not the kind of drama the tabloids claim there is). As for James Haven… he barely ever issues public statements anymore. I don’t even know what he’s up to at this point. Idly, I wondered why Jon Voight hadn’t piped up in the first hours after Angelina’s announcement, but The Mail claimed (at first) that Voight already knew about the double mastectomy and that he’s “been immensely helpful in the last month.” But they have a new story saying that Voight wasn’t told and that he found out when everyone else did.

Meanwhile, The Mail has an “exclusive” story about how Brad and Angelina are determined to marry “sooner rather than later” after this medical ordeal, but the story is mostly a hodge-podge of older quotes, mostly from Brad. A source claims: “Angie is keen on a wedding and the kids are clamouring for a marriage and keep asking Brad and Angie when it’s happening. Brad has been caught up in production turmoil with his new film World War Z, so there’s been no wedding planning as a result, but Angie has said it will happen sooner rather than later. They are all for all intents and purposes married, but it’s become clear that it’s important to them to make it official.” Apparently, they’re not so sure about getting married at Chateau Mirval, and Angelina is angling for maybe a Bosnian or a Cambodian wedding.

Oh, and I just saw this – Angelina covers the new issue of People Mag (they must have put this together yesterday). You can read the online excerpt here. There’s a piece of new information – sources claim Angelina is going to have her ovaries removed at some point to bring down her chances (50%) of developing ovarian cancer.

It doesn’t, but I can see why Kaiser would bring it up. Equal rights transcends political boundaries at this point, even if the debate is largely partisan. For someone like Angelina, who is so dedicated to achieving equal opportunities for every human being, it IS a little surprising that she manages to put aside their differences and befriend a woman who would restrict women’s health care choices and gay couples’ legitimate unions.

I find it surprising too, as I could NEVER be “friendly” with someone whose beliefs on a subject are SO far from my own. Sort of like James Carville and Mary Matalin…consultants for the two major political parties, on opposite sides, and yet they’ve been married for 20 years.

but I applaud both of them (Jolie and Pitt) for putting aside differences in the best interest of their family.

I personally think that type of opinion (from you and doofus) is very sad, and quite prejudiced. A person is more than their politics. You’d have a pretty narrow outlook if you only befriended people who thought the same as you. People are people. We all have good points and bad points, we are all entitled to our beliefs. Just because a person may not agree with same sex marriage, does not mean they are a bad person. I think that viewpoint is as intolerant and prejudiced as the former. I have friends from all different political walks of life. Its more enriching and I take them for their heart, their soul and the type of friend they are. I’m not after a political clone or someone who thinks the same as me. If you restrict your friends to those who only think the same as you, you are truly missing out on a lot.

Sal, I never mentioned anything about her politics (other than noting, on the contrary, that certain topics go beyond politics). I didn’t say that I or Angie should or would have a hard time befriending a Republican or a conservative or a Christian; I said that she might find it hard to get along with someone who believes that certain people are not entitled to the same rights as other people. Supporting equal marriage rights IS supporting equal rights. I get along with plenty of people who belong to other political parties and who believe in deities, and I dearly love some of my family members who don’t understand gay marriage (mostly because of generational differences).

Yes, Jane may very well be a good person, and her beliefs may stem from a place of misunderstanding or fear or religion or any other number of sources. And this is precisely why she plays such an active role in her grandchildren’s lives; Angelina and Brad love and trust her wholeheartedly, and they don’t define her by her beliefs. What I said didn’t negate any of that.

However, Angelina believes STRONGLY in equality and in fighting for basic human rights across the globe. She devotes much of her life to it, in fact. And Jane went so far as to publish an open letter stating that gay couples should not have the right to marry. In this day and age, it’s not just a “political belief” or an “opinion” anymore. It’s a form of discrimination that I find very, very difficult to overlook. Gay teenagers commit suicide because of the stigma and prejudice that letters like hers perpetuate. Children are still in the foster care system because politicians and their constituents believe that’s a better place for them than the homes of loving gay couples who desperately want to share their love with a child. Closeted gay and lesbian couples live in shame and can’t spend their last days together and face unfair financial burdens because of letters and “opinions” like hers, which are delaying this country from inevitably moving forward into an age of acceptance and equality.

That’s not the same as casting a vote for a candidate that her daughter-in-law doesn’t support; that’s actively participating in a cycle of oppression that is incredibly costly and incredibly painful to millions of people. Of *course* she can still be a grandmother and a mother and a friend. But the consequences of her actions are far-reaching, and impossible to forget.

Where is the assumption Doofus? Are you saying that you didn’t say this (which is self-explanatory)? “I could NEVER be “friendly” with someone whose beliefs on a subject are SO far from my own.” Are you now saying you DIDN’T say that? Btw, there was no lecture, so no need for you to over-react like that.

Thanks for your polite and respectful reply Brittney. I see where you are coming from now.

You can like and respect people with whom you have little in common. I worked for a while for a church (Hint: HQ are in Rome) with which I have virtually nothing in common. Disagree with just about everything. But the people there were just wonderful and it was one of the nicest places I ever worked. All employees must be quiet publicly, but that’s only fair if I’m taking their money. I’d go back there in a heartbeat.

Politics don’t enter into it. People project their family conflict and their beliefs on others. Brad has been on opposite beliefs of his family for years.

They were all together for a big Christmas vacation. I don’t how many people that “hate their inlaws” go on vacations together or that the inlaws travel all over the world to spend time with a woman they “hate.”

Brad/Angie helped to build a Cancer wing in Jane’s name. Jane/Bill are at Angie’s RC and Brads. They travel to see them and live in their house. sorry people that hate each other don’t put themselves out that way.

Lol. People are too invested in the tabloid triangle. Why would those 2 people be expected to comment? Dont get me wrong, I am sure that Star Magazine is at this very second cooking up a comment from a “source”.

Now that I think about it, I am also sure that if those 2 people dont plant a quote themselves some Dbag tabloid/blog will fill the vaccuum with tales that can sell magazines. So very glad that I am not a celebrity.

But you see “a source” in this case is so cowardly I’d not do it.
It’s a perfect opportunity to make a clear breast of the whole affair and say a line in first person. I mean when the supposed person is so over it and all.

It’s a promicing situation(for gossip) either way.

And that’s exactly the thing I like AJ for. She lives her life unapologetically and leaves the blathering to others.

No matter what Jen does she can’t live up to this. I think Brad saw the type of person Jen was and that’s the real reason he left. If this ever happened to Jen (and god forbid it does) she will be on every talk show giving interviews.

I think you’re right. She has made several comments that seemed to say that Brad was the liberal one and that she was a bit more conservative. People don’t expect that from her but most of her causes are apolitical, anyway.

When I heard about the cancer situation/scare, I wondered if that was what prompted the decision to get married. Either the romantic “life’s too short” angle or the very practical legal issues of acting for a loved one in times of illness.
I love seeing Brad’s ladies playing nice Political disagreements don’t have to derail a family. I know. I have extreme right-wingers on one side and extreme left-wingers on the other, and I’ve learned the value of keeping my trap shut at family gatherings!

Glad to see Brad’s mom is openly supporting Angie – puts to rest those rumors that she wanted her son back with Aniston.
BTW, Jolie’s politics aren’t all that left-of-center. Brad is the leftie in their household; Angie’s mentioned several times in the past that they disagree strongly on a number of issues, such as gun control, the death penalty, and, at the time, Obama’s re-election (him/for, her/against.)

Angie has never went into detail on the issues that they disagree on. She is an independent while Brad is more on the left but she keeps her comments on politics fairly neutral. She has not once talked about Obama or gun control etc.

I get where you’re coming from but just because she didn’t vote for Obama for a second term doesn’t mean that she doesn’t lean left. There are plenty of us who voted for Obama because from our perspective, he was the lesser of two evils. I also have many liberal friends who refused to vote for Obama because he isn’t “left enough” for them.

I think she’s smart as hell to remain neutral (publicly) given her drive to create change and the political arenas in which she operates. Easier to get shit done if you convey the image of being bipartisan.

Where are people getting these quotes from about Angelina being super-conservative? She rarely discusses politics and has never come out in favor or against someone.

Frankly, I don’t know many conservatives who care about African genocide or support the UN (which conservatives hate with a blinding passion).

I am not being snarky, I legitimately want to know why people keep insisting that Angelina is a conservative when she has rarely made any public statements about which political philosophy she supports.

If she’s a conservative that’s fine. I just want to know where people are getting this information from.

I haven’t heard she’s conservative. I’ve heard she’s a registered independent and some of her stances are to the right of her partner’s. I don’t think it was a particularly reliable source; I think it might have been Us Weekly. That is a far cry from being conservative. And rather than saying conservatives don’t care about genocide, I agree with the poster who noted that Ange’s causes tend to be apolitical. I don’t know anyone who’s like, “yay, genocide!”

Kind of ironic you would bring up Conservatives don’t care about genocide, since they are the ones shouting out that the Syrian civil war is a genocide and pushing for an intervention (ditto the Kurds in Iraq).

What Angelina did was incredibly brave.
The positivity is all in reaction to her absolute honesty in the NYT article.
But….
Once the tabloids join the wagon and they start twisting something beautiful for their own gain into something tacky…
I feel bad for her, although she inspired many women

Regardless of who he is, i would have made the same decision with my own father.

Daughters are usually their father’s Ashille tendon. I know my father, even as a physician, would have been distraught and down.

I removed some fibroms a few years ago…I was in severe pain and when i recovered consciousness after my surgery, my father was at my side…at some point i moan because of the pain and he left the room…my mother told me that he cried and told her that he couldn’t bear seeing his baby in pain. He never came back in my room.

I think parents, especially fathers are very sensitive to their daughter’s pain, whatever the daughter’s age.

This type of reaction may have motivated Jolie to stay mute when it comes to telling to her father beforehand.

I thought I read that Jon Voight may be in the early stages of dementia/alzheimers. Am I not remembering correctly? If so, that would be an excellent reason not to tell him. It could impact him terribly.

It almost goes without saying that Angie is an “old soul” in the truest sense of the word. She lived many lives before she settled down with Brad. All those experiences, all that life lived, it all makes her seem wise beyond the years of a 37-year-old.

Plus Brad has a lot of playfulness left in him. He’s a young 49. They’re “meeting in the middle.”

Her chances of getting ovarian cancer due to her family history are currently 50%. The eventual surgery will bring them down to zero.
What hard decisions, having children and having witnessed her mother in pain probably defined her decision.

Yes, I think you we’re referring to primary peritoneal carcinoma. A lot of investigators believe that primary peritoneal ca actually arises from the Fallopian tubes now and that is is usually disseminated in the pelvis/ abdomen by the time it is diagnosed.

I googled it last night. Apparently the breasts are usually removed first, then the ovaries because the hormone replacement therapy can still affect the chances of breast cancer. So if the breasts are gone, it’s safe to move foreward.

The breasts were probably removed by a breast specialist – my husband has a friend who specializes in removing breasts for cancer reasons. Then a plastic surgeon does the replacement. A gynecologist will be the one to remove her ovaries.

They don’t do the surgeries together because of the length of the surgeries / time under anesthesia. The mastectomy is a longer procedure and requires more recovery time. The ovary removal is quick – it may even be done vaginally – you can have it done robotically (my husband specializes in robotic hysterectomies)

If she’s healthy (no issues with her ovaries and uterus), she can have all removed via laparoscopy, which is a relatively easier procedure than laparotomy (I had both types of surgery in different stages of my disease – the second cuts through the abdomen, much like C-section, laparotomy is less invasive). If she’s very lucky, they’ll remove it through vagina.. I’ve been in a hospital with a lady who had her uterus removed this way and she was up and about like almost immediately, with minimal pain. Removing ovaries though triggers menopause almost immediately (I had it in four days after the surgery -can’t take hormones- crashing headaches, hot flashes, horrendous mood swings, crying etc) but Angelina will probably be given hormones to stop the menopause and she will be able to function normally. Still, two massive surgeries (or 4 if you count all 3 breast surgeries) -lots to go through in one year. She has to heal from mastectomies first before she has her ovaries removed. And let me tell you something.. I had it done like last month, the hospital was full of ladies with ovarian cancer.. Even with the menopause symptoms, I still feel lucky I won’t have to deal with this particular type of cancer. Very scary.

We have to cure cancer. It’s insane to me that our best option right now is to simply remove the area of the body with cancer (or a high risk of getting cancer). There’s got to be a better way, and I hope scientists/cancer researchers find it soon.

Cancer is so vicious and can start anywhere, at any tissue, eyes, fingers, cheek, brains, throat, lung, you name it.

My sister once had to perform exams to detect cancerous cells on a patient. The tissues were from the…anus ! The guy had a cancer that started right in the anal region when he found a small bump and thought it was hemorrhoids while it was cancerous melanoma. The cancer spreaded like fire with metastasis within months. He died soon after.

Another one had his balls removed because of it and another one had a masectomy for breast cancer. That’s when i learned that men too could get breast cancer and their chest removed !

From reading the op-ed, I got the impression that Angelina is already planning to have her ovaries removed. So People doesn’t really have an “exclusive.” On the other hand, I’m not surprised People would have Angelina’s story already. They are set up for last minute stories much better than the tabs.

Also, Jane Pitt is a lovely lady and I cannot imagine she would not get along with the woman her son loves. Plus, Jon Voight said Angelina called him early yesterday morning and explained it all to him.

Exactly. I turned on CNN this morning and it was “breaking news” in the ticker. Why? She explicitly wrote, “I started with the breasts, as my risk of breast cancer is higher than my risk of ovarian cancer, and the surgery is more complex.”

After almost a decade, Jane is likely very used to having Angelina in the family, that’s what happens, you must adjust with different personalities in a family and they probably have. Jane probably thinks Angelina is a good parent and very loving as a partner and mother and as a mother, that’s all you want for your children (like my Mom says about spouses of her children me “I’m not the one living/married to the person, as long as they are good and loving to my child that’s what matters most”.

Mothers of sons have to extra-careful too. They tend to be hard on their partners (nobody can do things and take care of them better than their Mommies!). Plus if you alienate the daugther-in-law, you will rarely or never see the grandkids, so must play nice!!!

Um, nowhere does it say “tolerate” in my words. I simply indicate families get used to each other and adjust (there’s always an adjustment when your children bring home a partner, it changes the dynamic until you get used to them and truly get to know them). But “tolerate” is your own words(possibly your own family experience?).

I think she even said in her op ed that this surgery was the first step. I can see her continuing at a later date with the next step. She has been blessed with 6 children. nothing to miss on that side of things.

And if she *had* died? She still spent seven years by his side. She still created a large and beautiful family with him. She still found a loving father for her children. She still adored and supported him to the best of her abilities, and vice versa.

The absence of a legal document doesn’t take any of that away.

And to bring a PR angle into this is cold and bitter and mean-spirited. How many times during the last decade have both of them been completely free of any professional obligations? If you’re looking for it, you will always be able to find a way to make that association. It’s their livelihood; it’s unreasonable (at best) to assume that their careers can constantly be paused for major life events, or that their major life events should be delayed for the sake of their careers.

Absolutely the absence of a legal document doesn’t take any of that away. Unfortunately the absence of a legal document can create obstacles in the face of major surgery and illness, with regards to “next of kin” and “family only” situations. That’s one of the reasons marriage inequality laws are so devastating (side-eye Jane P). I wouldn’t be surprised if it comes out that they married secretly just so Brad could be the legal decision maker if something horrible happened. They might just be planning a ceremony later.

Ultimately, whether or not they marry doesn’t affect me at all, except if they do, I hope they will allow the public to see some wonderful pictures of their happy day. They’ve proved their commitment.

You’re right, Amy; I don’t know why I didn’t see that connection right away, especially since it’s a major reason that opinions like Jane’s are so detrimental to couples and families who don’t even HAVE the option to make things a lot easier.

And I also think it’s possible they married secretly (possibly even long before this happened). Since they already live as a married couple for all intents and purposes, a ceremony would just be a formality anyway, so maybe it’s the CEREMONY they’re delaying and not the actual legal union.

@ LOL hates Brad and her/his dream is for this family to be split up. For those children to suffer thru a breakup of their parents relationship.LOL talks about it constantly on JustJared.As a child of divorce I think this person is pathetic to want a family to split up.

My sister works at a dutch hospital that specialises in cancer research and -treatment and yesterday after the op-ed was published the hospital was hounded by the national press for information on genetic cancer and the possible test people can have done and further information on costs and insurance such. I think this was the reaction they hoped for with the publication of the news.

Nice statement from Jane and Voight is famous for not being able to keep his mouth shut, so I probably would have waited to tell him, too. I wouldn’t have had him find out from the media, however, so I hope that somebody made a phone call first.

And before anyone jumps on Jane about that (and it may even be Brad’s words, not hers), I ask for some compassion for Jane and think about how sad and scary that must be for her to believe that about her child and probably her child’s whole family. I’m sure her beliefs have no bearing on how much she loves them, and she’ll probably never stop praying for their salvation. Regardless of what you may believe, this is what she believes (perhaps), and it has got to be heartbreaking.
I’m a Christian myself, although not as fundamentalist as some members of my family. One time my mom told me if the Rapture happens and I get left behind, to try to get to her house because it was a safe place with a lot of food. I remember I was shocked and hurt by that comment, but I can laugh about it now.

As someone with a Christian mother-in-law who fears for mine and my husband’s salvation (we’re not Christian), there’s no reason to think Jane doesn’t love Angelina. She just fears that Brad and Angelina won’t go to heaven, and dislikes the idea BECAUSE she loves them so much. It’s complex, and must be very difficult.

Jane has every right to be conservative, and whatever she believes at all…people are sounding like Angelina has to tolerate June…but think about it…from June’s point of view, that would mean because Angie is liberal, that Jane has to tolerate Angie…It goes both ways.
I do have to remark about the children!! Look at their little coats!! Way too cute..Love their whole family, Jane included.

Myriad Genetics in UT holds the patent on testing for BRCA1 & BRCA2 genes. The Myriad charge is about $1000. Other charges are from the medical facility which draws blood to send for the test and those vary. Some insurance plans, PPOs & HMOs do cover the cost. Mine did.

As a 2 time breast cancer patient, I’ve had both breasts, ovaries, tubes, uterus, & many lymph nodes removed. I’ve also had radiation, chemo, Herceptin, and take ongoing oral meds to suppress estrogen production. Estrogen is produced in other body tissues than just ovaries, including fat cells. My BC, among 47 known types & variants, will grow in response to any estrogen. Most BC specialists do not give estrogen to patients who’ve had ovaries removed.

Since pregnancy causes a huge increase in estrogen production, it may not even be possible once ovaries are removed.

Laparoscopic-vaginal ovary removal is a much easier surgery for the patient than mastectomy & reconstruction implants. No drains, just don’t lift anything heavier than 5 lbs for 6 weeks post-op.

It is not possible to remove 100% of an ovary. A very tiny part remains attached to the cavity lining & women should be periodically re-examined physically to be sure that there are no changes to those remnants. There is a blood test which can help identify the presence of OC once it has developed but not in advance.

AJ’s OpEd was a generous act. She has revealed a very private & personal medical experience in order to bring attention to the disease, possibilities for reducing risk, and to help remove social stigma from “mastectomies.”

Couples who still want biological children in the future can harvest & fertilize eggs, then freeze resulting embryos for future implant into surrogates. Embryos freeze (and thaw) more viably than unfertilized eggs.

I had the test done through Myriad several years ago as my mom survived early stage ovarian cancer at 42. My insurance did review my risk factors, and then paid for it 100%. I, and I’m sure many others with the same risk factors, have followed Angelina’s situation with great interest. So much info is coming out. Kudos to her for her bravery, and also for using her own experiences to help other women. By the way, my test was negative!

i’m getting fed up about all this coverage.. her decision was admirable she brought this to light . I am impressed, but the way people are going on and on about her.. come on it’s not like she cured breast cancer or she was the first person who ever made this incredibly difficult decision. She reduced her odds of getting breast cancer exponentially so she can hope to spare her loved ones the agony of her getting and maybe dying from cancer . I commend her on that. I just get upset because there are so many other women and men who suffer from breast cancer and overcome it they make these very same hard decisions the live this day in day out without the spectre of celebrity and Newspapers and magazine covers.. This lady although brave and I commend her had the kind of Treatment and recovery and reconstruction the likes of you and me could never fathom. I thank her for joining the cause and fighting the fight but in no way is she the hero the press and news are making her out to be, she is a brave human that is all.

Though the daughter of a physician who is more aware of the desease than the average folks, i love that this coverage have triggered many people, many women’s own personal journey about their own death and vulnerability towards illness.

I have learned a lot more about this desease in 48 hours than all my life, just by reading the personal history of many posters in here, giving support and asking myself questions as how i would deal with it if it was me.

I have learned a lot about testing, i have researched about social security coverage in my own country related to that desease. I have questioned my sister who is a scientist researcher specialist in genitics and who used to perform test about cancer cells.

This coverage have done that to me and probably to many women since i am European and i can read the impact of jolie’s op ed on french sites that triggered a minimum of 500 replies, overwhelmingly positive with many personal stories, name of doctors, hospitals, healtcare, new health therapy, vaccin against cancer of utérus, regimen and vitamines, ect…

I would rather see this news debated over and over again for a week, than the daily Kartrashian episode if it can save one woman who will decide to test and discover she has an early cancer that could be treated effectively.

I won’t say that it doesn’t get tough at time since it makes me somber just to think about death. Ain’t nothing entertaining in being reminded over and over again that we are ALL vulnerable and can become the next victim to cancer. But at least i have the option to turn off CELEBITCHY or be deaf to the news surrounding me, put some sweet music on and relax…People who deal with that illness, have howver no choice to turn it off and have to deal with it day and night.

So i won’t complain. Im healthy and again am glad that for once those who are not are the focus through Jolie.

And i am sorry the same people who said that would also b$tch about a news that repeat over and over again that Sir X or Y has cured cancer.

I mean, for God Sake, those are people who spend times on ENTERTAINMENT sites and blogs daily ! It’s not like they spend it on international affairs blogs or scientist sites that deal with those real life issues…They couldn’t care less about checking those news or even showing a tenth of interest they show in celebitchy to those other real issues.

Taxi, your comment about the impossibility of removing the ovaries completely kind of clears something up for me about my own history. I had endometriosis and adenomeiosis that necessitated both a hysterectomy and an oophorectomy, and still the endometriosis kept coming back. I wondered why it was still coming back if all my internal lady parts were gone. That makes sense now. Thank you! That helps!

Thank you for sharing your story. I wish the best for you and hope you are doing well now. I know your openness and your hard-won knowledge and experience has helped people on this thread.